Norwalk secures $3 million for affordable housing project

A rendering of the affordable housing complex to be built at San Antonio Drive and Foster Road.

NORWALK – The Norwalk City Council on Tuesday authorized an amendment to its 2021-22 fiscal budget to receive state funds, in the amount of $3 million, to support homelessness and affordable housing in the City of Norwalk.

The money will be utilized for the Mercy Housing Veteran’s Affordable Housing Project No. 7847. The project consists of constructing a 60-unit affordable residential apartment development that will provide affordable housing for veterans and their families.

On Feb. 4, 2020, the City Council approved a development agreement with Mercy Housing, a non-profit housing corporation that develops and operates affordable housing units.

The development agreement is in conjunction with an entitlement project that includes the construction of a four-story, 60-unit residential apartment development with supportive services at 13629-13705 San Antonio Drive and 11950 Foster Road.

The residential units will serve extremely low, very low, and low-income households and provide them with an affordable, quality residential development, which may not otherwise be available to such households.

Mercy Housing will provide long-term supportive services to veterans and their families who live in the development. The entire development will be affordable housing to help meet much needed housing unit goals that have been set by the Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) number assigned to the City in the last Housing Element cycle.

“The city has made strategic investments in our efforts to resolve homelessness in our city,” said Norwalk Mayor Jennifer Perez. “The Veteran Housing Project now has the funding necessary to move the project along. We look forward to the city’s partnership with Mercy Housing to serve veterans and their families.”

The Mercy Housing Veteran’s Affordable Housing Project also satisfies the city’s Strategic Plan Goal 2, which is to improve living conditions for residents in greatest need.

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the California State budget on July 12, 2021, which included a $3 million earmark for homelessness and affordable housing for the City of Norwalk.

Residents interested in obtaining more information can email publicaffairs@norwalkca.gov or call (562) 929-5319.